The Retheari

The Elves (Retheari)

The Muses, beings of pure creative force, could not help but create. While their solo works were semi-divine masterpieces, their collaborations were their greatest achievements. These works created characters that came to live in the hearts of beings across the planes, where they changed, and their numbers grew. Near the end of the Origin War, this phenomenon began to reach critical mass, and the first Retheari, known in modern Trade Tongue as elves, were born from the trunks of a massive aspen grove. Lost without the framework provided by their original forms, the Retheri began to group themselves together based upon which work they sprang from, forming the eight tribes that would one day become the eight elfish peoples. The Muses, upon seeing this, forsook their places with the Titans, and came down into Nirn to rule over their children. 

For time uncountable the Retheari grew and expanded under the guidance of the Muses, without want or fear of death. It was an age of endless golden summer, until Miki'kawl'gaer began to whisper in the ears of his kin. At the behest of the Lord of Lightning, who had just launched his war of conquest against the other Titans, Miki'kawl'gaer sowed distrust among the Retheari, and began to gather an army in secret. The Lord of Lightning feared that his war might draw in the Muses, and their subjects might join the fight against him and turn the tides for the other Titans with their numbers.So he offered Miki'kawl'gaer the ultimate plum, dominion over all Retheari. 

Miki'kawl'gaer took the field with warriors drawn from all eight tribes, and began to fight his way towards the holy grove that gave them life. The Muses were at a loss for what to do, not wanting to be drawn into the war between the Titans, but unable to defend themselves against a real military force. They decided in the end that they would simply accept what was to come, and work to ensure that the Song that sustained the undying summer would not perish with them. 

Meistri, goddess of justice, had been watching the progress of the war with great trepidation, and so she sent envoys to the Blue Baroness, war leader of the septuple alliance, offering aid. The loss of her domain had humbled the once haughty Titan, and she gladly accepted the support. Meistri offered her The Leaden Blade as a boon for a worthy champion, and called for the assistance of the other High Gods. No living being can say how the Blue Baroness found Ai'beir'igon, or exactly how she and her Blue Sisters raised their army so quickly, but all know what happened in the end. 

As Miki'kawl'gaer approached the grove he met Ai'beir'igon near the river Duir. Rather than shed the blood of their kin, Ai'beir'igon called challenge on Miki'kawl'gaer. The pair met before their respective hosts and strove against each other with skill, and bravery unmatched before or since but neither could strike a fatal blow. For days and nights the champions fought, until the Muses themselves quit the grove, and came down to the battlefield. 

Ai'beir'igon was injured far beyond the point of death for any normal warrior, but she fought on, fueled by her conviction, and her love of her people. Miki'kawl'gaer too had given his sweat, and his blood until there was nothing left to give but his rage, and his iron will. The Muses gathered around the fighters, and as they traded mortal blow after mortal blow, each of the Muses’ hearts broke in turn. The song slowly died in their throats, and the age began to end. The Muses lost their forms, becoming the wells of raw magic from which they were born once again, and still the warriors fought on. Finally, as the last echoes of The Song faded away, the contest was decided. Ai'beir'igon drove down Miki'kawl'gaer, and clove his head from his shoulders, only to collapse atop his still warm body. Thus the Song was sundered, and the Retheari became mortal.

Coastal Elf (Reth’aval) 

Progenitors:Tragedy/Ballad

Original Form:

A mournful folk song about a lover lost at sea.

Description:

The coastal elves rarely stand more than 5’5”, with olive skin of all shades but tending towards darker tones, and loose curls of dark brown to black, often bleached and tinted with transient dyes to reflect the colors of the sea. They have unfailingly green eyes. The coastal dialect of elfish is strongly accented, and heavily peppered with loan words from many cultures. They have also developed a semaphore system, which uses colored flags held in various poses to send messages between ships in the same fleet. There is a push by some coastal elf sailors to teach the system to as many people as they can to enable quicker communication between ships and avoid things like collisions. This initiative is supported by a majority of the Sea Lords, who are the ruling class of the coastal elves. The Sea Lords are nominally hereditary nobles, but if a House is unable to maintain their obligations to their supporters, they will quickly find themselves without any power, and without power behind it a House is really just a family name. Since Sea Lord Houses are founded by acclaim and sustained by patronage, any Elf with adequate financial resources, and social capital can found a new dynasty, or revive an old one. This has led to a constantly shifting balance of political power, with only two Houses which are still of any consequence dating back to the Age of Song. The Sea Lords technically constitute a peerage, with no single House having legal rights over another, though practically the House with the largest network of supporters and the deepest coffers wields the most power. Coastal elves are renowned for their skill as mariners, being the only people to have developed celestial navigation to the point that they can sail out of all sight of land and return safely with a fair degree of regularity. They are also famous shipbuilders, utilizing sung wood keels, ribs and masts that are purpose grown for the application, resulting in a level of resilience, and ease of maintenance which is unrivaled anywhere. Coastal Elf artisans are widely sought after mosaicists, having developed a number of intricate, standardized forms based upon wave patterns, as well as a technique for tight setting tiles as a whole, rather than in sections. Coastal Elf settlements tend to be built into cliffsides overlooking natural harbors, with dry docks and quays to support their fishing fleets and merchant expeditions. Though most dwellings are built into the cliff face, some are built atop them, and some are built at their feet. Free standing buildings in coastal elf settlements are generally built from the stone quarried from the cliff faces during building. They have good relations with their kindred Riverine elves who sometimes act as intermediaries for Coastal Elf shipping operations, and the Wood elves, who contract with them to provide sung wood for shipbuilding in return for preserved seafood, salt, and other foodstuffs harvested from the sea, as well as seeds and cuttings from foreign shores.

Colloquialism:

“may you meet the horizon.”- A formal good luck blessing. 

“Fair Winds!” A common leave taking.

“Maw Take You!” A curse akin to ‘go to hell’, references the Maw of Perdition, a massive whirlpool in the Aval Sea, widely considered to be the entrance to the underworld. 

Riverine Elf (Reth’Ara)

Progenitors: Tragedy/Lyric

Original Form:

A long lament about a couple crossing the river Ratha, only to discover that their souls were bound for different afterlives.

Description:

The Riverine Elves average 5’7”, though there are a few that top 6’. They tend towards bronze skin tones, with tight red-brown to dark brown curls, often styled with mallow sap, and eyes in shades of grey to blue. The Riverine elves speak common more often than elfish, as they mostly deal with the other peoples of Nirn who require the aid of skilled river pilots, safe harbor at their ports, and guidance through their swamps in order to move their export goods to the sea. Elfish is primarily a ceremonial language for most, and even the most fluent riverine elf speaking it sounds stilted, and antiquated to most of their kindred. 

That fact doesn’t bother most riverine elves who find general elfish society to be backwards and clannish. Riverine elves are the most likely of all their kin to find mates among the other peoples of Nirn, and half elves are considered no more or less elfish than their elfish parent. They also have a culture of adoption, taking in any outcast of elfish blood willing to forsake their birth family, and all of the prejudices of their parent culture. Adoptees must also swear an oath before the Moot to do the same for any other elf, with no exceptions. From the moment they swear the oath, they are considered full members of the tribe. The Moot is the ruling body of a tribe and oversees all of the tribe’s settlements. It is made up of elders chosen by their community for their wisdom and expertise. The Moot makes decisions democratically, and only after seeking opinions from experts. It is considered a great honor to be called before the Moot to give advice. The Moot also acts as the law court of the tribe. When tribes come into conflict with one another, The Moots are the ones that try to negotiate a cessation of hostilities, and on the rare occasion that such an outcome is impossible, declare war. When something threatens more than one tribe a Great Moot is called, where the representatives of all the tribes come together to discuss the situation, and vote on a resolution. Riverine Elves are known for their skill as riverboat pilots, the vivid pigments derived from plants found in their swamplands, and the incredible cuisine. Riverine Elf foodways were born from their relative poverty leading to an inability to bring in a significant amount of foreign protein like beef, mutton, or pork, as well as grains like wheat or barley, relying instead on locally sourced crayfish, prawns, riparian birds, wild ramps, sweet potatoes, hot peppers, tomatoes, and a massive amount of rice. There is also a constant flow of spices, and alcohol coming through their ports, and fees for safe passage are often paid in kind rather than coin. All that edible currency has created a food culture unrivaled anywhere in the world. Riverine elves settle on bayous and at river bends, where they build bustling river ports characterized by light wooden buildings with stilted foundations. They maintain trade relations with everyone but consider the coastal elves and steppe elves allies. They often squabble with tribes of wood elves over territory.

Coloquialisms:

“(__ is) about as blue as a madder root.”  A common way of saying something is not what it claims or appears to be. 

“How traditional.” A polite way of calling something boring, bland, or repugnant.

“That water’s mighty white.” A polite, but very firm warning of danger, most often a fraught topic.

Wood Elf (Reth’shee)

Progenitors: Comedy/Epic

Original form:

A light hearted comedy about Kiino’s travels across the planes.

Description:

Wood Elves are short and stout of frame, with the tallest being not more than 5’8”, with skin that mimics the colors of their forest homes, from the warm beige of pine bark to the velvety black of rich loam. Their wavy hair is naturally white to light grey, but is usually dyed in multiple earthtones, and worn off the face. Their eyes can be anywhere from cinnamon brown to nearly black. The wood elf dialect is often described as musical, and is generally spoken incredibly quickly. It also has a looser interpretation of syntax than other dialects, which many non-fluent speakers struggle with. Wood elves often seem almost indecently direct to those that have only had dealings with Mountain or Desert elves. They have also developed a system of simple, carved, and painted symbols on tree trunks, and stone cairns that communicate information about trail conditions, dangers, water sources, and even property boundaries. Wood elf settlements fall under the protection and rule of one or more Green Knights, a group of warriors sworn to the service of the Shee’orrix or Ruler of the Sylvans, a hereditary monarch. The Shee’orrix does not rule a place, but rather a people. They consider all wood elves to be their subjects, regardless of where they live. The Green Knights are largely drawn from the high nobility, mostly because they receive the best training in arms, and can afford the best equipment. However a fair few commoners have been knighted for their bravery, skill at arms, or other service to the crown of thorns. Green Knights coordinate and lead defenses according to their noble station in times of danger, and act as administrators or judges in times of peace. Every settlement is due this service and protection, and every wood elf is owed an audience with their local Knights once a cycle, and an audience with the Shee’orrix once in three years. In addition, each wood elf is owed one boon (within reason) in a lifetime. Wood elves are unparalleled hunters and trappers, often pursuing game through dense forest a-horse and at unthinkable speed. Wood elves are widely considered the best bowyers and fletchers on Nirn. Though all elves can shape plants with song, the wood elves are considered the greatest creators of sung wooden goods. This allows them to create bows of amazing strength by growing the limbs of certain trees into the requisite shape, which ensures proper grain orientation, and speeds the work of shaping the limbs. Wood elves have also developed a technique for laminating their bows with sinew and sometimes horn, shaved thin. This effectively raises the draw weight of the bow without sacrificing the suppleness of the wood. Wood elf settlements are built deep in their forests, with the majority of the buildings constructed from tree canopies sung into shape, sometimes connected by causeways. Wood elf dwellings are usually filled with light filtering in from above, and are generally heated with thick clay hearths. The wood elves maintain diplomatic relations with the mountain elves, and riverine elves who they tend to share borders with. They have long standing trade accords with the coastal elves to whom they sell sung wood for shipbuilding, and the steppe elves who trade fiber and horses for the specialized bows and high quality arrows that have made the steppe elves such a formidable military force. 

Colloquialisms:

“(To) tip with iron” to spoil something, especially something nice. A dyed ostrich feather in a good quality hat might be said to tip the hat with iron. In reference to wood elf fletchers preference for knapped stone or socketed cast bronze arrowheads.

“Bear-brain(ed)” A mildly insulting epithet for someone expressing obsession (often with food, or intoxicants)

“Romancing the dryad/courting the satyr” a socially acceptable way to say someone is making a foolish decision, often informed by vice.  A gambler not walking away while they are up might be said to be courting the satyr. 

Steppe Elf (Reth’yaak)

Progenitors: comedy/Elegy

Original form:

A Shadow play about a brave, horny centaur, and his heroic death.

Description:

Steppe Elves are extremely tall, averaging almost 6’, and built nearly as heavy as humans. Their complexions vary from pale gold to polished copper, with eyes in shades of hazel to amber. Their dense, medium curls are usually black, though the occasional redhead is found. The Steppe Elf dialect is characterized by its terse phrasing, and thick accent. Outsiders joke that the steppe elves have 48 words for horse, and more for goat. Less well known is the system of rhythmic calls played on goat horn trumpets that allow the steppe elves to communicate across great swathes of rolling grassland. Steppe elves organize themselves into a number of large bands. Each is led by a khan, who acts as a monarch checked by a council of elders in times of peace, and a dictator in times of war. khans are selected at the death of the previous khan by trial of arms after being nominated by their peers. To be named khan, the candidates must first face a council of elders who determine their fitness to rule, then they must defeat every other worthy candidate. These bands are made up of a number of largely autonomous tribes, each led by a Chieftain. Chieftains change often, as any steppe elf old enough to ride their own horse is allowed to challenge the current Chieftain for command if they feel they have cause. The contest is decided upon by the elders of the tribe, and usually involves a display of the skills most prized by the tribe. If a chieftain dies, the elders declare a challenge, generally a feat of skill and daring like capturing and taming a wild stallion, and the first elf to complete the challenge is named chieftain. In times of war every band meets at Heart-of-the-Planes to make war plans and elect an Al’khan, a sort of temporary emperor who acts as both dictator and field marshal. A prophecy made during the Age of Song states that when the steppe burns, a true Al’khan will arise to unite the Reth’yaak for good, and lead them on the long ride to the Great Grass Sea, the mythical promised land. Steppe elves are known throughout Nirn for their horse breeding practices, and the quality of the fiber spun from the undercoats of their wooly goats. Steppe horses are tall at the shoulder, with aquiline noses, deep chests, and well developed musculature. Though steppe elves are generally of the opinion that a good horse can’t be a bad color, a coat with a metallic sheen is seen as a sign of good breeding. While not the fastest mounts in the land, they are absolutely tireless. Warriors, and other elves of high standing wear boots with embroidered soles, which are intended as proof that the wearer does not walk. Though they fight well with lance and shield, steppe elf warriors are primarily mounted archers. Steppe elf settlements are carried on horseback from Leave Taking until Last Harvest, and consist of octagonal yurts made from weatherproofed goat fiber. Bands muster at large water sources during Startide, creating temporary cities and remain there through Dusktide. As the winter cycle begins, the bands head for their winter pastures, or Heart-of-the-Plains, the only permanent settlement on the steppe, though a few roundhouses arrayed around a deep lake is hardly a settlement elsewhere. The steppe elves trade fiber and horses with the wood elves, in exchange for bows and arrows, and with the Desert elves for finished cloth, and metal goods. They consider the Riverine elves allies in times of crisis, but refuse to work with the mountain elves at all.

Colloquialisms:

“Scar Foot.” A horseman that uses stirrups (derogatory). Steppe Elf tack is minimalist, with little more than a blanket, thin saddle, and a single loop rein, though the best riders don’t use reins at all, preferring to control their mounts entirely with their seat and legs.

“(To) hang (one’s) bow.” To hang your bow is to declare a romantic or sexual interest in someone. Refers to the practice of hanging a bow on the rack outside of a potential partner’s yurt.

“(They) keep their seat, shoot straight, and speak truth.” This phrase is the highest praise given by a steppe elf. One who keeps their seat, shoots straight, and speaks truth is considered worthy of leadership. An old proverb states “May no elf be khan lest they ride like thunder on the wind, shoot from the heart of the void, and speak truth or hold silence.”

Desert Elf (Reth’qir)

Progenitors:Romance/Elegy

Original Form:

An iambic poem about the the final battle between an elderly warrior, and the dragon that burned his village when he was a child.

Description:

The Desert Elves stand tall, and willowy, averaging 5’9”. They range from rosy fair to terra cotta brown in complexion with coarse, straight hair in all the colors of fire, and eyes like chips of gemstones, often exhibiting two wildly different colors. It is not easy to ascertain these facts however, as desert elves garb themselves in long, flowing robes of patterned cloth, capped with a matching head dress, and a detachable veil of fine mesh to help keep the light of the blazing suns off their skin, and dust from the frequent wind storms out of their eyes, mouth, and lungs. The desert dialect is poetic, and heavy with allusion and metaphor. This is frustrating for outsiders, who often feel like Desert Elves are purposefully avoiding giving a direct answer. The poetry created by the Desert Elves is widely considered to be the greatest on Nirn. During the Summer Cycle, desert elves are largely nocturnal, except during the festival of High Summer when they hold dawn and dusk ceremonies to honor Saryastaster. The desert elves are technically ruled by an enlightened priest monarch, most often a monk or nun who has spent a significant number of years in solitary contemplation communing with the gods and the spirits of the desert. Functionally, this monarch has very little power in comparison to the Gwaer’kawmitus known informally as the Gwaer or the House of Moons, a parliament composed of hereditary nobles, merchant princes, and guildmasters. The common folk aren’t without representation either. A trio of tribunes are elected by general caucus once every two years. The tribunes are allowed to speak before the Gwaer, and though they can’t vote, they do hold veto power over any resolution made by the Gwaer. The monarch serves as the ceremonial chief of the Gwaer, but they have no vote, nor do they hold overt veto power. It is legally possible that they could simply refuse to endorse a resolution, effectively vetoing it, but this has happened only once since the sundering of the song. Primarily, the monarch sets the festival schedule and performs the requisite religious rites for all major holidays and civic ceremonies. During the winter cycle young, unpartnered elves from many different settlements take journeys to large oases like The Moon Pool (an exceptionally clear seasonal lake in the Black Dunes region) to seek mates. Small tent cities spring up, and High Winter is particularly raucous, though most of these confabs have broken up by the time Shieldmoot comes around. Desert elves build their settlements on promontories surrounding proven water sources. Their buildings are made of clay, with small windows carefully placed to catch breezes and keep air circulating while not letting in much light. Desert elves were once nomads like the steppe elves, and Tundra elves, but long ago they negotiated a trade agreement with the Savanna elves that included the services of their engineers, who brought irrigation systems to the desert, which subsequently gave rise to the modern, agricultural society they have today. Desert elves are the greatest trade power of all the elfish peoples, arbitraging on any commodity they find, using their far famed patterned cloth woven from Savanna silk, and steppe goat fiber, dyed with Riverine pigments as currency. Though they maintain trade relationships with all elves, as well as dwarves, humans, halflings, and anyone else who has goods that they might be able to make a profit on, the desert elves consider only the Savanna elves worthy allies.

Colloquialisms:

“A dance of prime and vagus.” A rare beauty. In reference to the simultaneous raising of prime and vagus, which occurs maybe twice in a cycle. 

“(To) bathe in the oasis.” To commit a major social faux pa such as fouling the drinking water with your filth.

“Sun Drunk” the delirium caused by heat exhaustion/stroke.

Savanna Elf (Reth’liya)

Progenitors: Romance/Ballad

Original Form:

A call and response song about a Dusktide fling between a suave lady thief and the daughter of the local lord.

Description:

Savanna elves are the shortest of the elfish peoples, averaging just under 5’ and topping out around 5’3. They tend towards ruddy brown complexions, with darker skin tones considered to be a sign of health and virtue. Most Savanna Elves’ hair is straight and fine, and generally rich auburn to red gold in color. They usually have gem-tone eyes, with the odd lilac here and there. The Savanna Elf dialect uses syntax that is more akin to dwarfish than it is to other elfish dialects, a product of their long alliance, and technological partnership with the dwarves. The driving force behind this partnership is the Savanna elves desire to maintain their environment, and ensure that every elf is fed, and has access to clean water. To wit, developing irrigation canals, and aqueduct systems, and creating oases to halt the spread of the desert as well as maintaining road network to ease trade and the distribution of foodstuffs or other necessities to communities in need. The Savanna Elves practice rule by democracy. Each community elects its leaders on a regular basis, and no decision involving community stores is made without a quorum. Decisions that effect multiple communities are voted on by elected representatives on an ad hoc basis. Once every eight years there is a general meeting called the Grand Council, which is held during Shieldmoot, and every community sends a contingent. Decisions that effect all Savanna Elves are made at these meetings. An emergency session of the Grand Council can be called by any three community leaders. The Savanna elves are also the developers of Reth’eeli, the common system of writing used by all elfish peoples for informal documents. Though they are prolific writers of technical treatises, and practice detailed accounting, the narrative history of the Savanna Elves is an entirely oral tradition. Each community has a group of not more than four but not less than 2 elves who have forsaken their names and rights to vote in order to become objective observers referred to only as Memory. They spend their days in quiet observation, watching the goings on in the community, attending major events to record the details and making sure the proper traditions are observed. Whenever a grand council is called, at least one Memory accompanies each community’s contingent to record the events of the council and to learn what they can of the happenings in other communities. During Startide, groups of multiple communities come together to share the events of the year and add to the greater narrative of the Savanna elves as a people. Savanna elf settlements are built on the banks of their canal system, or on the flood plains of the rivers that feed it. The buildings are generally clay walled and constructed on stilts to avoid flood damage. The Savanna elves maintain close relations to the Desert elves, having sworn to mutual defense and a limited sharing of technological discoveries, based on the proximity of their domains, and the fragility of their environments. The Savanna Elves are currently in a state of Cold War with the mountain elves, which was kicked off with the introduction of Reth’eeli, and the Savanna elves making their compact with the dwarves. 

Colloquialisms:

“We are many, and we are one.” A formal greeting, used only for honored guests and elf-friends. It is derived from the axiom, “Though we see with uncountable eyes, feel with uncountable hearts, and sing with uncountable voices, we are but one body”, which opens and closes every council, election, and most other major events in Savanna elf society. 

“There is no plenty while your siblings starve.” This phrase comes from the Kawsh’agra’beal or Birth of the Night, an epic poem detailing the Titan War, which tells the tale of the end of the elfish Age of Song. It is a proverb in Savanna elf society, a reminder that wealth is less important than taking care of your community, and is often used to admonish children and young adults for greedy behavior. 

“…Come the flood.” In times of trouble or hardship. The annual flood season fertilizes the fields of Savanna elf farmers and helps hydrate the soil, but the force of the water is still destructive despite building practices designed to ameliorate the danger, and the standing water brings with it pests and other disease vectors. It can even draw dangerous, sometimes monstrous beasts. A mother unimpressed with their child’s partner might say, “We’ll see how brave he is come the flood.”

Mountain Elf (Reth’djal) 

Progenitors: Satire/Epic

Original form: An epic poem that tells the story of the origin war from the perspective of the first devil, and right hand of The King in the Abyss, who broke faith with his master and was cursed for it

Description:

The Mountain Elves stand well over 6’ tall, with the supple strength of mountain pines. Their complexions range from alabaster white to the pale red brown of sandstone, a product of living mostly underground. They sheer their thin, wavy hair close to the scalp and wear wigs in vivid colors, corresponding to the wearer’s social station. Those who choose to abstain from this practice are shunned and ostracized by their communities, to the point that very few mountain elves are willing to speak to them, let alone conduct business. Their eyes are larger than most other elves, and range from ice blue to slate grey, though outsiders meeting them for the first time sometimes think that they are black owing to how far their pupils are able to dilate. The mountain elf dialect is the closest of all modern elfish dialects in structure and pronunciation to antediscordian elfish, which they refer to as Reth’gin’fala or Old High Elfish. Where the wood and desert elves’ speech is considered musical, the mountain elves are often called sing-song, but never to their faces. The grammar is exceedingly complex, and even minor syntax changes can cause major miscommunications. The mountain elves live under an absolute monarchy, with the Imperix sitting the Flint Throne in the palace at Coir’ap’reth. They rule over a court of nobles who administer their own holdings, and have as much power over their subjects as the Imperix has over them. Admission to both the court and the royal succession are determined by magical prowess, and maintaining hereditary power relies on ensuring your successors are powerful magicians. The process of succession is often expedited by poison, blades in the shadows, or public challenge. The formal system of elfish script, Reth’quyl was adapted from its original form by Imperix D’ji’zhiir I shortly after the sundering of the song. Originally all elfish records considered important to the entirety of elfish society were inscribed on large metal plates commonly known as steeles, and placed in public places where the information could be accessed by any literate elf. D’ji’zhiir developed the familiar character set into an alphabet that was easier and quicker to write with a quill pen on paper, though he maintained the spiral alignment and the omission of vowels. After the creation of Reth’eeli which reads simply top to bottom, left to right, and contains individual characters for each vowel sound, Reth’quyl began to wane as the dominant elfish script, and is now relegated to religious writings, and treaties. The mountain elves hold on to Reth’quyl stubbornly, and refuse to adopt Reth’eeli for anything. Mountain elf settlements start at the crown of the mountain, which is oftentimes a dormant volcano as mountain elves choose their building sites based upon the presence of auspicious weather patterns like lenticular cloud formations, and spread out down the slope in wide terraces. Farms are located at the lowest tiers, and the palace of the local lord is located as close to the peak as possible, with the rising tiers corresponding to rising social status. Though these settlements have many buildings constructed from the stone cut to create the terraces, they quickly expand into the mountain itself, utilizing natural lava tubes excavated and connected using techniques stolen from the dwarves. The mountain elves consider themselves the ‘High Elves’, and try to dictate to the other ethnic groups, over whom they used to exercise power by tight control over the teaching of Reth’quyl. That power has been broken in recent generations, but the mountain elves have yet to recognize that fact. Their diplomatic relations are fraught thanks to this, leaving the mountain elves with no real allies, though they maintain some semblance of peaceful relations with the wood elves, and tundra elves who share borders with them, and the desert elves, who trade with them despite the way they are treated. 

Colloquialisms: 

“Discord/discordant” A discord can be anything unpleasant, or disgusting. Rotten food would be discordant.

“(To) see (one’s) hair.” To uncover a secret, usually salacious or embarrassing. If your friend is carrying on about a man you know to be a philanderer, you might let them know that you’ve “seen his hair”.

“Never trust a dragon.” Though this is good, practical advice anywhere on Nirn, it has special meaning to mountain elves. To a mountain elf it is a warning not to trust that those with more money, and power than you will have your best interests at heart or even hold up their end of a bargain, especially if they won their position instead of being born to it. This phrase has become a watchword amongst those of the shunned that seek to bring change to their society. 

Tundra Elf (Reth’waal)

Progenitors:Satire/Lyric

Original form: A Chant extolling the beauty of the depths of winter, and lamenting the coming summer.

Description:

The Tundra elves are small and mighty as a microburst, generally standing around 5’5”, with wiry, rock hard physiques. They tend towards red-brown complexions, wind roughened, and wear their stormy grey hair in tight, intricate braids. Their eyes range from a blue so pale they disappear in bright sun to iron grey. The tundra elves speak a language which can’t really be called a dialect of Elfish, though it has its roots in Reth’gin’fala. Even during the age of song the tundra elves had more to do with the early Blue Dwarf, Stout Halfling, and proto-human settlers that were moving into the vast expanse of the northern tundra than they did with other elves. An early trade common, dubbed Remasharloth, quickly developed between these groups using old elfish grammar, but drawing words from all four languages. In time this would mature into the modern Trade Tongue, though in the tundra most still speak this more antiquated version unless talking to southlanders. Life in this inhospitable land does not really lend itself to state building, and the tundra elf settlements are rarely bigger than a single family homestead (called a winterhome in Remasharloth) where the young, the elderly, and the infirm live year round. Able bodied adults are nomadic herders, breeding and running huge herds of domesticated caribou from leavetaking until Startide with the help of their famous Rethegri or Elfdogs, large, wolfish dogs noted for their plush red and cream coats, tirelessness, and their uncanny intelligence. Bred as a general purpose working dog, rethegri are equally at home pulling sleds, rounding up stray caribou, or treeing game. They are prized by all the peoples of the tundra, and have begun to grow in fame in the southlands, though the tundra elves rarely part with breeding pairs. Though it is not common for tundra elves to form large communities, the practice of ‘visiting’ is central to their culture. In the winter cycle it is traditional for young adult elves to go ‘visiting’, which entails making long journeys to other Winterhomes, or sometimes to the settlements of the other peoples of the tundra. These journeys are always difficult and are sometimes truly harrowing. Visitors are treated as honored guests, even though these visits are often made with ulterior motives in mind. Trade partnerships, marriages, and ceasefires are commonly the products of a visit. Courtesy demands that any traveler arriving on your land in the winter cycle be taken in and given the status of visitor. During High Winter, a long distance dog sled race is held on a rotating route beginning at the northern most winter home and ending at one of three border settlements. All participants are honored for even trying, those that finish are awarded a parka lined with wolverine fur, and the winners’ names live on in songs and legends for generations. Rethegri descended from the winning teams are highly sought after. The tundra elves are largely isolated by their environment, but maintain trade ties with the coastal elves and the riverine elves, and diplomatic relations with the northern most groups of wood elves.